Mr Bingley too is a kind, and good-natured young man. He is sociable, uncomplicated and agreeable, and is seen by the woman of the town to be the perfect husband for any of their daughters. Unlike Darcy, Bingley is not discouraged by the Bennet family’s lack of breeding, wealth or social status and from the start of the book takes interest in Jane. At the Netherfield ball he tells Darcy how he feels towards Jane: “Oh she is the most beautiful creature I have ever beheld!”
Jane and Bingley’s connection is not given leave to truly develop until the relationship between Darcy and Elizabeth is resolved. This shows us how both of these two enjoy putting their closest companions before their own selves, to ensure that they are happy. This partnership between Jane and Bingley is used by Austen to illustrate a relationship of mutual respect, understanding and admiration. In her mind she expects it to become a successful, and happy marriage with little conflict and much attraction.
The second relationship that develops in the novel is a complicated and influential partnership between the second eldest Bennet daughter, Elizabeth, and Mr Bingley’s close friend: Fitzwilliam Darcy. Lizzy is one of the most strong-minded characters in the book. Her intelligence gives her an opinion on all subjects, and also a capability to hold a conversation with not only the likes of Lady Catherine do Burgh but also gives her the opportunity to hold sharp witty, often critical conversations with Mr Darcy.
Darcy too has a very strong character. However it is difficult to fairly access Mr Darcy’s character as he is seen almost entirely through Elizabeth’s eyes. He is seen to be extremely proud and also unnecessarily rude. This is first illustrated during the Netherfield ball when he comments about Lizzy to Bingley saying, “She is tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt me.” This portrayal of Mr Darcy may however be overlooked as pre-judgement and conclusions on his character are greatly changed when the housekeeper at Pemberly reveals “I have never had a cross word from him in my life.” Darcy is also seen to have a change in character after his fist marriage proposal to Elizabeth is rejected. At this point in the narrative, we can see Darcy’s overwhelming arrogance begin to fade, allowing for his deeper character to be revealed. This is seen in the book as a major turning point in their relationship. This was partly due to Mr Darcy’s primary arrogance in the assumption that Lizzy would accept his proposal. Elizabeth calls him “ungentalmanly” which wounds him greatly as this is one of his characteristics, which he feels he can pride himself on due to his superior background. With rejection this arrogance need to be deeply re-considered. With this new lack of arrogance Mr Darcy becomes far more aware and thus more critical of his own family’s faults, primarily centred on Lady Catherine de Bourgh.
The encounters with both the housekeeper and also Mr Darcy at Pemberly may perhaps be considered as turning points in the relationship between the two. The previous agreement of mutual dislike and contempt is overshadowed by a new inquisitiveness in Darcy to seek the true feelings of Lizzy. A great defeat of Darcy’s
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apparent strong self-assurance by Lizzy is apparent when Darcy decides to tell her all about his relationships with Mr Wickham and
also where he describes to her his own influence in the relationship between Bingley and Jane. For Mr Darcy this revelation would have surprising. Lizzy’s pre-judged ideas at this point would have conflicted with, perhaps giving her reason to give a second thought about the true feelings of Mr Darcy. Their progress is slow and unpredictable with Lizzy rejecting the first proposal of Darcy, an action that all women of the period would see as incredible especially considering the status of Mr Darcy, and also the fact the Elizabeth had previously tuned down a further proposal from his cousin Mr Collins.
Jane Austin sees the relationship between Elizabeth Bennet and Mr Darcy as being a very controversial match. They have both overcome many pre-conceptions and ideals about each other, as well as passing through phases of hatred and dislike for each other. It is important to consider with this relationship both what is learnt, and also how this knowledge in gained by both sides. An example of the exchange of knowledge is during the episode in which Mr Darcy reveals the truth about Mr Wickham to Lizzy. Lizzy begins to notice how easily she has been shaped by “the general approbation of the neighbourhood” and it takes the “impartiality” that Mr Darcy has asked her and allowed her to acquire in order for her to acknowledge Mr Wickham’s true character.
The often contradicting characters of the two allow for the faults in the other to be revealed, allowing for them to be considered. They learn not only about their own faults, but also how to consider other people’s faults too. By taking time and effort to consider each other (this may be why this relationship took the longest to develop) Jane Austen has allowed knowledge to be passed between the two, giving them chance to both learn of their own and the opposites flaws. This marriage could be seen as one where the two characters have used each others strengths to come to know their own selves and prejudice has been overcome by insight, generosity and rational good sense, a quality both can boast of having.
The third relationship to consider is that between Mr Collins, and one of the Bennet girls’ closest friends, Charlotte Lucas. Mr Collins is the aim of much satire in the novel and as a result is seen in a light of both sympathy and dislike. He is unknowingly pompous, insensitive and foolish and lacks greatly in self-knowledge. The Bennet’s house at Longbourn is entailed to Mr Collins and for this reason alone he feels (as does Mrs Bennet) that it is his duty to marry one of her daughters. This expectation that Mr Collins would be able to marry any one of the Bennet’s is purely based on economic background. Mr Collins feels that he is able to exploit his position as the future owner of the Bennet’s capital wealth, a position that he sees as making the daughters economically vulnerable towards him. Yet his proposals to firstly Jane then Elizabeth are hastily rejected by them to the objection of their mother, and it just after this point that Mr Collins is shown in his true light. Almost immediately after being refused he hurriedly decides to propose to Charlotte Lucas with little consideration. He is now shown to be greatly materialistic and only cares for size and wealth rather than the true sentimental value of anything. He is also shown through this to have little idea of what true “love” was, and this is further indicated by the haste in which he proposes to Charlotte Lucas.
Charlotte Lucas is older than any of the Bennet girls and feels a great pressure on her to be soon wed. She understands her family’s desire for her to marry for economic gain, and so feels is acceptable to marry Mr Collins, considering her realist approach. Her attitude to marriage means she is far more open to proposals and admits that marriage “was the only honourable provision...” for someone in her
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position. She is sensibly enough prepared to marry not for love but for financial security yet allows her self to ensure that during her
days as mistress at Hunsford (Mr Collins’ residence) she sees as little of her husband as possible.
Mr Collins’ and Charlottes marriage is a great expression of how important marriage was to young ladies in the 18th and 19th century. At twenty-seven Charlotte feels that the offer of Mr Collins would be satisfactory and so she willingly accepts it. The marriage is uncomplicated, and pleases both Mr Collins and Charlotte.
The final partnership is between the youngest daughter, Lydia, and an officer named Mr Wickham. In comparison to Charlotte and Mr Collins’ marriage, whose relationship can be seen to be right at the opposite end of the spectrum of cynical calculation. There is a great pressure on Charlotte to get married for both social and economical reasons whereas the youngest Bennet daughter, Lydia, has very little pressure on her to marry and Mr Wickham too seems very indifferent towards the relationship. Lydia is very much her mother’s daughter, and for that reason is able to get away with being very flirtatious, if her mother feels that it may find her a husband. She is extremely self-centred, frivolous and superficial and is only interested in social matters. She is arguably the least sensible of the daughters and for this reason her father takes neither pride nor interest in her, as he does for Elizabeth. Lydia has little interest in how her actions can in turn effect others, and for this reason Elizabeth is greatly critical of her calling her “Ignorant, vain and idle and absolutely uncontrolled!” Lydia is greatly infatuated by Mr Wickham, and she is by no means shy to express her feelings for him.
Mr Wickham is described as being a handsome well-rounded gentleman, who gains pity from the daughters after explaining to them how he suffered injustice at the hands of Darcy. Yet Mr Wickham is a far more complicated character. He is revealed to be a spendthrift, a liar and a womaniser, yet these traits are revealed not by Wickham himself but are exposed by both Darcy and the perceptive Elizabeth whos first opinions towards his good looks and charm are later dismissed due to reasoning and perception.
Jane Austen uses this relationship between Lydia and Mr Wickham as an extreme example of the overpowering force of passion taking over and dominating all reason, or good sense. Lydia’s immature attitude to life and Wickham’s deceit combine to create a partnership that has no steady base such as respect, understanding or love and will most probably end up only lasting a short while. In Jane Austin’s opinion this marriage will be the most unsuccessful and the least happy.
It is easy to compare the marriage of Lydia and Mr Wickham to that of the Bennets. They both marry young and purely out of desire, and youthful passion. Although Mr and Mrs Bennet are still together, there is little happiness in this marriage and the relationship is only held as it is best for their five daughters. Theirs is a marriage where “respect, esteem and confidence, had vanished for ever.” Mrs Bennet is the target for most of Mr Bennet’s sarcasm, criticism and sharp wit. His main pleasure is in teasing her, with little respect for her and he spends most of his time alone. Yet she is very innocent about his attacks, she can bounce quickly from at one point despising him and his apparent ignorance for his daughters to much appreciation and praise of him. Yet ultimately he can be seen as being a greatly inconsiderate father being both irresponsible towards them and also very thoughtless towards their feelings. The first example of this in the book is when Mr Bennet conceals his acquaintance with Mr Bingley until an appropriate moment at which from previously saying, “I am sick of Mr Bingley” to “What an excellent father you have girls!” This shows that the quality of their marriage is poor. There is a great lack of mutual understanding and respect for each other, and perhaps as described in a similar
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way to the relationship of Lydia and Mr Wickham, the reason behind this derives from the fundamental incompatibility of both the intelligence and the attitudes of both.
Through these five marriages (including Mr and Mrs Bennet) Jane Austen has explored various conditions that will allow for a good marriage. She also shows a clear bias to certain partnerships and quite opposite to others.
In Austin’s view she sees the marriage of Jane and Bingley as being moderately successful. Both the characters hold mutual admiration and love for each other along with a respect only accessible as a result of the maturity and intelligence of both Mr Bingley and Jane. Jane and Bingley represent the coming-together of two handsome, like-minded and kind-hearted persons. This is perhaps one of the most simple relationships in the book and for this reason it may be possible to feel that it is not the most successful of all marriages possible. The similar characteristics of the two do not allow for any contrast in the relationship. This is shown right through the book, as the development of this relationship is merely a background to Lizzy and Darcy’s interactions. Despite their centrality to the narrative, they are vague characters, sketched by Austen rather than carefully drawn as with Darcy and Lizzy. Indeed, they are so similar in nature and behaviour that they can be described together: both are cheerful, friendly, and good-natured, always ready to think the best of others; they lack entirely the sharp egotism of Elizabeth and Darcy. This shows the perhaps lesser significance of this relationship as an example of a marriage, as it shows neither the best nor the worst case scenario of marriage. It does however show that with mutual immediate attraction comes a simple success that is very difficult to find any other way. This would result in an uncomplicated, happy yet perhaps neither the most interesting nor most successful marriage of the book.
The least successful marriage according to Austen will be the joining of Lydia Bennet and Mr Wickham, characterised by lack of love, integrity and money. There was little maturity in Lydia when she became in lust of Mr Wickham, and she did not carefully think about and of the consequences of her actions. Mr Wickham himself was not happy with the marriage and is clearly only in the relationship due to sexual interest. Both are shamelessly uncaring about the disgrace that their immorality has caused the Bennet family. He seemed far more interested in Miss King and was not shy in being a mercenary and marrying her for her recently inherited £10,000. He only decided to finally marry Lydia for the sake of saving his own embarrassment and self-disgrace by Mr Gardener’s (Lydia’s uncle) willingness to keep the story of his deceitfulness secret if he were to agree to marrying Lydia and also by the financial settlement agreed with Mr Darcy.
A surprising pairing was between Darcy and Lizzy. Although it seemed that these two were highly incompatible, Austen concludes by the end of the book that this partnership was perhaps the most successful. Although the characters do not fall for each other immediately, the marriage is perhaps strengthened by their misconceptions and thus the lessons learnt. Austen sees this as being a long lasting and understanding marriage, and perhaps a reformation of the time’s ideals. Austen clearly felt that there was a need for a considered balance of passion with reason, in a relationship that was based not only on love and respect, but which was also rationally based on thorough knowledge of each other’s characters and personalities. It is a relationship that through failure and then learning from the mistakes made in stressful times, both characters have been able to end up in a strengthened position.
The least surprising outcome of any of the relationships is the marriage of Charlotte Lucas to Mr Collins. They both seemed content in marrying each other for their own private reasons. Charlotte was
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sensible enough to understand her family’s desire for her to secure her financial future, and she too did not feel comfortable being still single at the age of twenty-seven. Mr Collins’ motives for marriage were far less innocent, but were understandable considering his personality and his connection with the aristocracy. He revealed himself to be only interested in the materialistic aspects of life. He prides himself on the large and expensive, and had no understanding
of the sentimental or personal value of anything, by which he shown to consider these possessions as the most important thing in his life, and having once married Charlotte Lucas, this weak relationship is greatly highlighted. Mr Collins seems to be far happier alone with his possessions, than he is spending days with Charlotte.
In all Jane Austen has managed to use five different marriages and show them in a way to reveal the real feelings at the bottom of the relationships. Through the eyes of Elizabeth and Jane Bennet, Austen has revealed some of the deepest feelings towards the societies of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. And through all the marriages she has been able to highlight how both personal and social opinion held such a strong place in any decision on marriage. She has shown failure and success due to anger, love, lust, jealousy and respect, and has shown triumphs over pride and prejudice.
